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What Makes a Good Leader and Theodore Roosevelt?

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What Makes a Good Leader and Theodore Roosevelt?

Good leaders are defined by several aspects depending on their behaviors, visions,

interactions with others, and how they handle their tasks. Qualities of a good leader make

them stand out in every setting as people who propel a group forward. Good leaders are

important in every dimension of an organization’s life since they form its human assets.

Similarly, a team can only achieve its goals with good leadership. A mixture of elements,

including integrity, charisma, intelligence, oratory skills, and effective decision-making,

forms a good leader. These elements drive good leaders toward their success scores.

Leadership involves setting an example for others, and integrity is a key component of

good leadership. Integrity means being honest and ethical in all aspects of one’s life, personal

and professional (Choi et al., 2020). When one is a person of integrity, people can trust them

and feel confident in their leadership abilities. Integrity also requires holding oneself and

others accountable to high standards, which can inspire others to reach their full potential.

Moral principles play an integral role in shaping behavior, and leaders with integrity pay

attention to such principles.

Charisma is another vital aspect that good leaders hold. It is the ability to build

rapport and inspire and motivate others. Charisma allows leaders to connect with their

followers deeper and create a strong sense of trust and loyalty (Reichard et al., 2021). People

are drawn to charismatic leaders and are more likely to follow them. A leader with charisma

can get people to buy into their vision and see the potential for success.

Intelligence is relative, but a good leader is typically quick-thinking, resourceful, and

able to make sound decisions under pressure. Intelligence allows a leader to navigate

complex situations and make thoughtful decisions that benefit the team or organization. Good

leaders possess a strong sense of self-awareness and can understand and empathize with

others, which allows them to build strong relationships. They must also be able to
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communicate effectively and delegate tasks efficiently.

Oratory skills are the ability to speak in front of an audience in a clear, convincing, and

inspiring way. A good leader can use these skills to communicate their vision and rally others

to their cause (Reichard et al., 2021). Oratory skills involve more than just speaking; a good

leader must also be a good listener, able to take in what others are saying and use it to refine

their message. Connecting with others and getting them to buy into one’s vision is critical for

any leader.

Effective decision-making is another vital aspect of a good leader. Good leaders can

make quick and efficient decisions when faced with difficult situations. Critical and creative

thinking forms the basis of decision-making, and good leaders must exhibit such skills. They

must consider all factors involved in a situation before concluding. With sound decision-

making abilities, a good leader motivates their followers and steers the team forward.

Theodore Roosevelt as a Good Leader

Theodore Roosevelt is considered one of the best leaders in American history. He is famously

remembered for his “Speak softly and carry a big stick” foreign policy, which made him an

outstanding diplomat (Berexa, 2019). He was a man of action who was not afraid to take on

the big issues of his day. He was also a man of great principle who led by example. Roosevelt

was a true leader of men, and his example is still relevant today. The 26th American president

was a good leader with admirable traits such as integrity, charisma, oratory skills, and

effective decision-maker, among many other skills. The leadership principles and skills that

the ex-president possessed ensured his success in his reign.

Theodore Roosevelt was a good leader because he had integrity. He was honest and

ethical in his dealings with others. The ex-president was also fair and just and treated

everyone respectfully. He was a strong leader who was not afraid to take on new challenges.

Moreover, Roosevelt strongly believed in the rule of law and stuck with doing what was
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ethically right. An example of Roosevelt’s integrity was his treatment of Native Americans.

He worked to improve their living conditions and gave them the same rights as other

Americans (Smith III, 2018). This act showed an implicit definition of Roosevelt’s act of

integrity as a leader.

Theodore Roosevelt is considered a good leader with charisma due to his ability to

inspire and motivate others. For example, during his time as President of the United States,

Roosevelt helped to enact several progressive reforms that improved the lives of Americans

(Hull, 2018). He also gave speeches that rallied people to his cause and inspired them to

action. Roosevelt was also known for his courage, which helped make him a successful

leader.

Roosevelt was a master of oratory and used his leadership skills to great effect. He

was able to inspire people with his speeches and his writing, and he was able to get his

message across to a wide audience. Roosevelt was a very effective communicator and used

his words to persuade people to support his policies and his vision for America. He was a

great leader who could inspire people and get them to support his goals.

Theodore Roosevelt was a good leader because he could make effective decisions. He

could make decisions quickly and efficiently and always had the people’s best interests in

mind. For example, he decided to build the Panama Canal during his presidential reign. The

Panama Canal was a huge project that required a lot of money and manpower. However,

Roosevelt completed the project, which was a huge success (Smith III, 2018). The Panama

Canal was a major feat of engineering, and it helped to boost the economy of the United

States.

The Characteristics of Theodore Roosevelt’s Leadership That I Would Like To

Emulate.
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Roosevelt was an inspiring leader with several admirable traits, evidenced by his

success as the 26th president of the United States. Any aspiring leader would never miss a

leadership trait to emulate in Roosevelt’s playbook. One admirable trait of Roosevelt’s

leadership is his ability to stand up for what he thought was ethically right. As a leader, I

would like to champion what is ethically best hence, emulate Roosevelt’s integrity trait.

Roosevelt’s eloquence and effective oratory skills are other admirable leadership trait I would

like to emulate. I could persuade my followers and spark their belief through effective

speaking, communication, and airing my visions. Roosevelt was also able to build strong

relationships with people, which helped him to get things done. I would like to emulate this

trait to promote efficiency in my leadership tasks through effective interactions with my

colleagues and followers. The charismatic nature of Roosevelt is another trait I would like to

emulate from his leadership playbook. This trait would be vital in my leadership since it

would ensure support and trust from my followers. Theodore Roosevelt was an effective

leader who accomplished a great deal during his presidential reign. Therefore, emulating his

leadership skills would be a stepping stone to leadership success for many people.
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References

Berexa, E. (2019). The Big Stick: The Limits of Soft Power and the Necessity of Military

Force. WLA; War, Literature and the Arts, 31, 13-16.

Choi, Y., Yoon, D. J., & Kim, D. (2020). Leader behavioral integrity and employee in-role

performance: The roles of coworker support and job autonomy. International journal

of environmental research and public health, 17(12), 4303.

http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124303

Hull, K. (2018). Hero, Champion of Social Justice, Benign Friend: Theodore Roosevelt in

American Memory. European journal of American studies, 13(13-2).

https://doi.org/10.4000/ejas.13403

Reichard, R. J., Ellis, B., Powers, K. W., Walker, D. O., & Priest, K. (2021). Changes in

Implicit Leadership Theory Constellations Throughout a Developmental

Experience. Journal of Leadership Education DOI, 10(V20/I4).

https://doi/10.12806/V20/I4/R12

Smith III, L. W. (2018). Theodore Roosevelt and the Native Americans How his beliefs

influenced his treatment of the Native Americans (Doctoral dissertation, Southern

New Hampshire University).